125 Best Life Goals Examples To Set And Achieve

We have just one life to live and by setting important life goals you can truly live it – to the fullest.

Setting goals in life is crucial for our growth and happiness. It gives us a sense of purpose and helps us reach our full potential. 

Not the mention, the weeks, months and years go by so quickly and setting goals helps us slow things down so we can create a life we truly love.

What are life goals?

Life goals are specific things you want to do before you die. These are the big things – the meaningful things you’ve dreamed of doing. 

What’s the difference between life goals and other personal goals?

Personal goals are goals you may set for yourself throughout the year or perhaps for the next 5 years. 

Some examples of this might be to:

• Save money for summer vacation next year
• Get a promotion at work
• Create a healthy evening routine
• Learn how to meditate

Life goals, however, are the things you want to accomplish in your lifetime. These are long-term goals you would think about adding to a life bucket list.

Some examples of this are:

• Starting your own business
• Being financially free
• Travelling the world
• Being a parent

How to set (and achieve life goals)

“A goal without a plan is only a dream.”

– Brian Tracy

I love this quote because it couldn’t be more true. We all have dreams, especially when it comes to things we can to achieve in our lifetime. 

The key, however, is to turn those dreams into reality by making them happen with an action plan.

Attaining your life goals is about having the right mindset and putting in the hard work. To accomplish this here are some goal setting tactics to help you succeed.

1. Write your own life goals list

This is a fun first step. After reading the below life goal ideas it’s now time to write your own life goals list. 

You can break your list down into categories as I have below or just free-write anything that comes to mind.

If you’re unsure of the specific goals to set, here are some helpful questions you can ask yourself.

Ask yourself:

• What do I always dream of doing?
• If money or circumstances were no object what would I want to do in life?
• If I only had one year to live, what would I do? How would I like to spend my time?
• What am I most passionate about?

These questions will help spark some ideas for your list of goals.

2. Create a timeline for your life goals

Now that you’ve written a list of life goals you want to achieve, it’s time to put a timeline around these goals. 

Since these are lifetime goals I recommend putting each goal idea into different timelines.

Goals to complete within: 

• One year
• Five years
• Ten years
• Fifteen years
• Twenty years

This will help you decide how to prioritize goals that you can start working on today, versus goals you’ll focus on later in life.

3. Set SMART Goals

You’ve most likely heard of SMART goals before, but if not let’s break it down.

SMART Stands For:

• S: Specific – Be as specific as possible on your goal. What actions will you take?
• M: Measurable – How will you know you’ve succeeded? 
• A: Achievable – Make sure it’s not a big stretch to achieve. You want your goal to be attainable.
• R: Relevant – Does this goal align with your overall goals and values?
• T: Time-bound – How long will it take for you to achieve this goal? Set a target date.

Now, choose an important life goal you want to achieve in the next year. Go through the SMART goals process to define this goal in more detail and set some milestones around the goal.

👉 Make sure to download my Free SMART goals worksheet to help you get started.

4. Work towards your goals with a solid plan

Once you make your first life goals SMART, you can brainstorm various actions you can take to start working towards this goal.

Let me share an example:

Goal: Go scuba diving

1. Research what qualifications you need = your PADI
2. Decide where you will go scuba diving = somewhere local vs. a trip you’ll take
3. If you choose to take a trip to go diving, research the best place
4. Book your trip (make sure your destination has a dive center close by)
5. Book your scuba diving excursion
6. Save up
7. Travel

No matter what life goal you want to move forward with first, you’ll have a set of steps to take.

This goal of scuba diving definitely seems smaller than saving one million dollars or getting married, but the process remains the same.

Tip: Think about new daily habits you can focus on to help you reach your goals.

5. Create a vision board

Visually planning for the future is a great way to keep your goals top of mind.

You can create a vision board by creating a life goals board on Pinterest or sketching and sticking visual representations of your goals in your journal or a bulletin board.

125 Meaningful Life Goals Examples To Set & Achieve

Today we’re going to give you a big list of life goals examples in the following categories:

• Personal development
• Adventure
• Travel
• Career
• Financial
• Relationships
• Family
• Lifestyle
• Health and Wellness

These are my recommendations for good life goals you might consider adding to your own list.

Of course, the important part is to take these life goal ideas and make them your own. Or you may find that they create a spark for other personal life goals you want to accomplish.

Personal Development

Personal growth can come in all shapes and sizes from learning new skills and improving yourself in many areas. Here are some personal development goal examples to consider…

1. Learn a new language
2. Write a novel
3. Master public speaking
4. Go to a spiritual retreat
5. Be a grateful person
6. Learn a musical instrument
7. Get a degree or 2nd degree
8. Become a great cook
9. Learn how to build a website or blog – check out my free start a blog course for help
10. Write your memoir
11. Conquer a fear you have
12. Learn how to let go of grudges
13. Read the top 100 novels of all time
14. Learn a creative skill – photography, watercolour, pottery, etc
15. Define your personal boundaries and follow them

34. Climb a mountain
35. Go scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef
36. Take a hot air balloon ride
37. Go horseback riding
38. Go skydiving
39. Move to a new country
40. Learn how to sail
41. Do standup comedy
42. Go bungee jumping
43. Drive a race car
44. Get your pilot’s license 
45. See your favourite artist/band in concert
46. Swim with sea turtles or dolphins in their natural habitat
47. Go whale watching

Travel

There are so many places we want to travel in life. Here are some fun ideas to get you started…

16. See the 7 wonders of the world
17. Travel solo
18. Go on a religious pilgrimage (like The Camino De Santiago)
19. Travel around the world
20. Go on an African safari
21. Take a cross-country road trip
22. Visit every continent
23. See the northern lights
24. Visit Angkor Wat in Cambodia – the largest religious structure in the world (according to The Guinness World Records)
25. Go to Wimbledon
26. Take a cooking class in a different country
27. Live in a different country for at least one year
28. Go on a vacation every year
29. Hike the Appalachian Trail
30. See The Great Wall of China
31. Visit the Namib desert
32. See the Pyramids 
33. Visit Rome during the holy week

48. Become a successful business owner (be your own boss)
49. Start a non-profit organization
50. Become a role model and mentor
51. Become a leader 
52. Turn a passion into your career
53. Buy a small business
54. Start a franchise business
55. Start a podcast
56. Start a YouTube channel
57. Launch a blog
58. Have more than one career in your lifetime
59. Take a job in a different country
60. Become a C-level executive
61. Train to be a public speaker – giving you excellent exposure
62. Invest a product and go on Shark’s Tank (or Dragon’s Den)
63. Become a college professor

“People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.”

– Earl Nightingale

Financial Goals

Setting financial goals allows us to follow our dreams and make goals for other areas of our lives. Once you achieve a financial goal so many more doors open. Here are some suggestions…

64. Be debt free
65. Earn 6 or 7 figures
66. Buy or build your dream house
67. Save $1,000,000
68. Be financially free
69. Retire at 50
70. Pay for your kid’s University
71. Create a passive income that can pay you into retirement 
72. Invest in real estate
73. Build an emergency fund of at least 6 months’ salary for financial security
74. Make enough money to support your family fully
75. Have multiple income streams

76. Fall in love
77. Get married
78. Be in a committed relationship 
79. Always prioritize romance – at any age
80. Prioritize relationships over work
81. Have a handful of close true friends 
82. Spend quality time with close friends
83. Become good friends with an elderly person
84. Prioritize date nights
85. Create memorable experiences with people who matter most
86. Plan adventures together 

Family

Our family members are part of us no matter what. Some relationships may be strained and others continuously flourishing, so think about what matters most to you when determining your family goals. 

87. Adopt or foster a child
88. Be a parent
89. Take a trip with a parent (when you’re both adults)
90. Find and create your ‘chosen family’ 
91. Have weekly Sunday dinners
92. Maintain good relationships with distant relatives
93. Adopt a pet
94. Look after parents in their older years
95. Create a family tree – and find relatives you don’t yet know
96. Have close connections with nieces and nephews
97. Become a grandparent

Lifestyle

Setting lifestyle goals is about how you choose to live your daily life. Here are some meaningful goals you can consider…

98. Become a minimalist
99. Live in a tiny home
100. Live off the land
101. Become a master gardener
102. Volunteer for an organization you’re passionate about
103. Become a big brother or big sister
104. Live a zero-waste lifestyle
105. Live life with no regrets
106. Mentor young people
107. Get to know neighbours and community members
108. Find a church to attend
109. Create time for hobbies and learning new hobbies
110. Become an activist for something you’re deeply passionate about (veganism, the environment, etc)
111. Continuously follow your passions
112. Never stop learning

Most people overestimate what they can do in a year, and they massively underestimate what they can accomplish in a decade or two.

– Tony Robbins

Health and Wellness

To follow our dreams, set goals and live a long happy life, we need to focus on our health and wellness…

113. Maintain a healthy weight
114. Follow a whole food plant-based diet
115. Be physically strong with regular exercise
116. Run a marathon
117. Have a positive body image
118. Learn to love yourself fully
119. Learn how to meditate and practice it daily
120. Live a long, healthy life
121. Have a healthy morning routine (that you love)
122. Walk daily
123. Do something you love every day 
124. Practice having a positive mindset – this will make the good times that much better and the bad times easier to get through
125. Prioritize your mental health

Mindset Tips To Help You Reach Your Life Goals

Setting goals can seem overwhelming at times so it’s essential to have the right mindset to help you get across the finish line.

• Get out of your comfort zone. In order to achieve hard things, you need to get a little uncomfortable at times. Change doesn’t happen when we stay where we are.
• Celebrate your milestones. When you reach an important milestone make sure to celebrate it. Give yourself a pat on the back for getting this far.
• Try positive affirmations to keep you motivated and on track.
• Look after yourself with regular self-care to keep you rejuvenated and in the right frame of mind to work towards important goals
• Be kind to yourself. We all have off weeks (and months and years). Every waking moment of your life doesn’t need to be goal focused. We are only human and during tough times it’s okay to just focus on getting through as opposed to conquering big goals.

Life Goals Quotes To Empower You

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” – Tina Fey

“I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.” – Michael Phelps

“Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive.” – Robert H. Schuller

“Goals are dreams brought to life.” – Amy Leigh Mercree

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”– Albert Einstein

“I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they’re impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.”

– Katie Ledecky

“If you want something you never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.” – Unknown

Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do. – Oprah Winfrey

“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” – Jim Rohn

“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.” – C.S. Lewis

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar

Have you set life goals yet? If not, are you excited to get started?

I’d love to hear all about it. If you have a goal you’ve been wanting to focus on for a long time, share the details in the comments below so I can send some positivity your way 🙂

Related Life Goals Resources:

• 6 Ways To Visually Plan For The Future
• Free Printable SMARY Goals Worksheet & Template
• 9 Types of Goal Setting Based on Different Areas of Life
• 70 Examples of Personal Goals To Set This Year
• 225 Habits To Track + Free Habit Tracker